Indonesia <<terrorists are planning further attacks, including against Westerners, throughout the country,'>>
ELMAT: Oh Shit, Eplay! Guess why Elmatador is out of here June 15th!! You know, they may plan for a $45 barrel and will use this election cum terrorist threat to kill people and Elmat loves his skinny carcasse to leave anything to chance!!! Hope everything quiet till them.
Indonesia beefs up security ahead of election
Police are on alert amid fears of terrorist attacks in the run-up to the country's first direct presidential poll on July 5
JAKARTA - Security was tightened across Indonesia over the weekend, with nearly 170,000 police on alert amid fears that terrorists could launch attacks during the campaign for the July 5 presidential election, police said.
Officials planned to deploy special teams to guard the five pairs of candidates running for president and vice-president.
The British government warned on its Jakarta embassy website that new information showed terrorists were planning more attacks.
The website advises British citizens to delay non-essential travel to Indonesia, and for those already in the country to consider leaving.
'We continue to receive information that indicates terrorists are planning further attacks, including against Westerners, throughout the country,' the statement said.
Indonesia has been rocked by a series of terror attacks in recent years, notably the October 2002 bombings in Bali which killed 202 people, mostly foreigners.
The advisory follows similar statements issued by the United States, Australia and Canada in the past week about travel to the world's most populous Muslim nation.
Last Friday, national police chief General Da'i Bachtiar warned that fugitive terrorists linked to the 2002 Bali bombings could launch attacks ahead of the poll.
About 1,000 police in riot gear assembled at the national police headquarters in Jakarta on Saturday before they were deployed throughout the city, said deputy police chief for operations, Lieutenant-General Adang Dorojatun.
'We've decided to step up security with two-thirds of our police force on alert to ensure that there will be no disturbance during the presidential election,' he said. Indonesia's police force is 250,000 strong.
Similar numbers of police were deployed for the April parliamentary election, which were peaceful.
The July 5 poll will be Indonesia's first direct presidential election, and the five pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates include incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
Gen Bachtiar also said that the country's conflict areas were especially vulnerable to attack. -- AP, AFP |
